Literacy Programs and Projects
Follow the links to find more information on other current early literacy programmes in Australia and the rest of the world.
Children’s Literacy - Australia
Let’s Read
The Centre for Community Child Health, in partnership with the Smith family, is rolling out the Let’s read project, to promote reading with young children aged 0–5.The Early Words Early literacy project is linked to this initiative in one local government area in Sydney.
National Literacy and Numeracy week
Initiated by the Australian Federal Government’s Department of Education, Science and Training and run annually in collaboration with the States and Territories.
As part of this week the inaugural 'Read Aloud Summit' was held in 2005.
Australian Bookstart projects
- Bookstart for Babies (ACT)
- Babies who read, succeed (Tasmania)
- Better beginnings (WA)
- Moreland Bookstart (Victoria)
SHELLS (Newcastle area)
Home support programme for early language and literacies, run by the University of Newcastle's Children and Education Research Centre (CERC), for local communities.
HIPPY
Home-based early intervention programme for children in the 2 years prior to school entry (4 and 5 year olds).
Stronger Families and Communities
Australian Federal Government early intervention strategy to run 2004–2009.
The Australian Early Development Index
Community measure of young children’s development.
Children’s Literacy - International
Reach Out and Read (US)
Successful American initiative based on supporting children’s literacy when they visit the doctor with parents or carers.
Sure Start (UK)
Research, training and resources for those caring for the under 3s.
Booktrust (UK)
Umbrella for a number of projects and initiatives to bring books and people together.
Bookstart (UK)
One of the initiatives associated with Booktrust. Focuses on early literacy. Aims to reach every 6–9 month old baby in England. Currently being extended to include all the pre-school years.
Talk to your baby (UK)
UK National Literacy Trust campaign to encourage parents and carers to talk more to children from birth to three.
Resources include research, tips for parents, and advice for those wanting to develop similar programmes.
The early years library network (UK)
Seeks to raise the quality of library services to pre-school children and their families. Provides national support for specialist early years library staff and spreads good practice across the whole public library sector, including library authorities with no specialist staff.
Storysacks (UK)
UK library/social services initiative, based on using a sack with soft toys and props to support the telling or reading of stories. It has become a popular, non-threatening way of encouraging parents and carers to start sharing stories with their children, especially for parents with little positive experience of books.
Particularly successful with multicultural communities, including traditional stories.
Linked to the government’s Surestart Initiatives.
Adult literacy
Parents who cannot read can still pass on the love of language and stories to their children. Here are some tips.
- Tell your own stories every day
- Tell stories from your own family
- Tell stories from your own culture so your children will be able to tell their children
- Tell jokes and funny stories
- Make up stories about your child and what they might do
- Tell stories about things that happened to you when you were younger and when your parents were younger
- Tell your child things you did through the day like a story
- Use toys to tell stories
- Be a good model — take your child to the library, ask if you can watch the teachers read books at LDC or Preschool
The Reading Writing Hotline
The Australian Government funds this hotline. This national telephone literacy referral service is for adults and will direct you to local literacy assistance.
Call 1300 655 506.
Local literacy support for adults - TAFE NSW
Blacktown, Baulkham Hills, Granville, Lidcombe, Wetherill Park and Mt Druitt TAFE colleges run free language, literacy and spelling courses. Follow this link to search for a literacy course at a TAFE near you.
Adult literacy and numeracy courses are free for Centrelink clients who receive a benefit, provided Centrelink makes the referral. For more information, go to the Centrelink website.